


the simplest things

by suddenlyatiger



Series: not one for long goodbyes [2]
Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: First Dates, Fluff, M/M, POV Derek Hale
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-11
Updated: 2016-12-11
Packaged: 2018-09-07 22:28:59
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 686
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8818603
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/suddenlyatiger/pseuds/suddenlyatiger
Summary: Derek doesn't know how dating works.





	

**Author's Note:**

> This was originally part of 'not one for long goodbyes', but I decided that it would work better on its own. It can be read as a stand alone, but it does technically take place after 'not one for long goodbyes'.
> 
> Also I have no idea where this takes place in the canon, though it all most likely takes place in a utopian Teen Wolf universe that only exists in my head.

Derek doesn't know how dating works. 

 

The only real experience he has to draw from is his time with Paige. That was years ago. He can barely remember it now, traumatic memories wiping out the good ones. 

 

After Paige had been Kate, which had definitely _not_  been dating or real and had ended in fire and death. Even when it had been real, to him at least, their 'dates' hadn't really been dates, he knows that now that he's older and has the power of hindsight and maturity. 

 

After Kate there'd been the odd one-night stands while living in New York. That had just been for sex, no emotional attachments necessary. 

 

His one attempt when he returned to Beacon Hills was Jennifer, or Julia, whatever. That had been a complete disaster, and the magic she'd used to manipulate him meant that he didn't remember a lot of their time together. He considers that a blessing, if he's being honest. 

 

So, yeah, Derek has no idea how to date. He especially has to idea how to go about dating _Stiles_ , who deserves so much more than Derek stumbling around blind and making a mess of things. 

 

Derek needs help to figure this out. 

 

-[-----]- 

 

Derek actually considers talking to Peter for all of a second before he comes back to his senses. He cannot even describe in words how bad things would end up if he got Peter involved. 

 

Peter hasn't been completely unhinged since he lost his alpha powers and come back from the dead; but he still has an air about him that makes it obvious (to Derek, at least) that he's still not completely mentally sound. 

 

Peter had been a manipulative shit even before the fire, and his advice had rarely been helpful. Or good. 

 

Going to Peter with this would be a horrible idea. 

 

-[-----]- 

 

Derek has no idea how he ended up sitting in a café across from Melissa McCall and asking about Stiles. But, she's not trying to kill him so he figures he might as well stay. Plus, she's even bought him a coffee and a cookie, it would be a shame to let them go to waste. 

 

"I don't know what kids are into these days," Melissa says, taking a sip of her own coffee. "And even if I did I'm sure that Stiles would be into something different." Derek silently agrees with this. He's never really met anyone like Stiles, someone who marches to the beat of a completely different drummer. There's a good chance that he'll never completely figure out how Stiles' mind works, but he wants to stick around long enough to try. 

 

"I just want to do it right," Derek mumbles. He picks at his cookie, scattering crumbs around his side of the table. He looks up when he feels Melissa's eyes on him. She's smiling at him in a soft way. Derek's ears flush and he quickly looks back down. 

 

"If it's something that makes you both happy you're automatically doing it right," Melissa says. Derek frowns down at the table. That somehow seems too easy. Surely that can't be all there is to it. He glances back up to see Melissa smiling at him like she knows what he's thinking. 

 

"Sometimes people overthink things," she says. "You don't need to bring out the big guns for everything. Sometimes it can be the simplest things that make people happiest." Derek mulls this over as Melissa finishes her coffee. 

 

-[-----]- 

 

That night, Derek stops at a diner in town and from there heads straight to the Stilinski home. The sheriff is out so Derek doesn't bother with the front door and instead heads straights for Stiles' bedroom window. 

 

Stiles lights up when he catches sight of Derek, and lights up even more when Derek thrusts an order of curly fries at him. 

 

It's not a dinner at a fancy restaurant, like the movies would suggest would be more appropriate, but eating greasy take-out on the floor of Stiles' room seems so much better, if Stiles' smile is anything to go by. 

 

Derek figures he's doing alright so far.


End file.
